Aquatic figure and apparatus for actuating the same



March 28, 1944. 2,345,243

AQUATIC FIGURE AND APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING THE SAME W. D. E AKIN 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 7, 1942 INVENTOR.

March 28, 1944. w. D. EAKIN AQUATIC FIGURE AND APPARATUS FOR ACTUATINGTHE SAME Filed 'May '7, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

March 28, 1944. EAKm 2,345,243

AQUATIC FIGURE AND APPARATUS FOR ACTUATING THE SAME Filed May 7, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 28, 1 344 AQUATIC FIGURE AND" APPARATUS FORACTUA'TING THE SAME Willard D. Eakin, Northampton- Township, SummitCounty, Ohio Application May 7, 1942, SeriatNo. 442,054

14 Claims.

This invention relates to aquatic figures and to apparatus for actuatingthem, and is based on the Cartesian diver principle.

Its chief objects are to provide an aquatic figure adapted to performnovel acts such as to mystify, entertain or educate the observer. Morespecific objects are-to provide a desirable advertising display and toprovide a desirable toy.

Of the accompanying drawings: v

Fig. 1- is a middle, longitudinal section of a diving-girl dollembodying my invention in its preferred form as applied to diving humanfigures.

Fig. 2 is a" middle section of the head of a doll embodying theinvention in a modified form.

Fig. 3' is a middle section of a dipping form for making an actuatingdiaphragm for the doll, with the diaphragm thereon.

Fig. 4 is a face view of an actuating diaphragm of an alternative type.

Fig. 5 is a middle section of the head of a doll equipped with adiaphragm" such as that of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6' is a fragmentary middle section of a. doll having an alternativeor additional provision for giving the center of ravity a"desired'po'sition in the doll.

Fig; 7 is a middle; longitudinal section of parts of a doll ofanalternative type.

Fig. 8is a sideelevation, withp'arts sectioned, of a' doll of anotheralternative type.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal middle section of a toy whale embodying theinvention in its preferred form as applied to spoutingwhjales andthe'like.

Fig. 10'is a longitudinal middle section ot a toy fish embodying the"invention in its preferred form as applied to'fishes, submarineboats, orthe like;

Fig. 11 is a longitudinal middle section of a dipping form for makingvalves such as are shown in Figs. 9-and'10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary middlevertical section of preferred means foractuating" the figures manually for adjustment purposes in preparationfor their being placed in an automatic actuator, said means being usablealso for actuating the figure as a toy.

Fig. 13 is a vertical middle section, with parts inelevation, of-anactuator of a desirabletype-for manual actuation for display purposes;

Fig. 14 is a vertical longitudinal section of" an automatic actuator"assembly;

Fig. 15 is a vertical transverse section of the same. I

In attaining: the above stated objectal rovide an aquatlc figure adaptedto-be'givena sequence of movements by changes or the pressure ofsurrounding fluid or fluids, as in the case of: a doll diving head-firstand then turning and rising head-first, with or without turning on oneor more of other axes; of a toy whale submerging, rising to the surface,spouting one or more times, and then submerg ing again; or a toy'fish orsubmarine boat descending and rising inthe Water and also havingsuccessive forward movements either While submerged or while at thesurface;

Referring first to Fig. L of the drawings, the doll there shown"-comprises a shell or c'li-ie'f Wall member Hlhaving the general shape ofa diving girl figure and made, by any suitable method, of a rigid,impervious and non-absorbent material such as glass, porcelain, metal,Celluloid or the like.

The shellof the doll of Fig. I is-integra1 and imperviousexcept-that itis formed with a large opening in the back of the head, defined by anannular'fi'a'nge H adapted to have snapped onto it, and to retain with aWater-tight-and' air-tight gripping-pressure seal, an elastic actuatingdiaphragm [2' of rubber or the like'having a weight I-3- such asabuck-shot mounted at or near its center and preferably having a rolledor molded annular bead I4 at its periphery for secure en: gag-ement overthe annular flange ll of the dolls head.

A rubber or other loathing cap I5 formed with suitably positioned holesI6, lt'fo'r ingress and egress of water or air canbe mounted on theannular flange I I to hide the" actuating diaphragm |2-.

For providing the desire'd'distribution of weight in relation-to thedistribution of" volume the shell It is molded W ith external recessesin the chest and in the hips-to receive lead Weights ll, l8 and bodiesof pa-rafiinl9; Zilfor holding the weights in place and for giving thedolls body the desired external contours at those positions.

Also par'afiincan be added to those bodies for increasing buoyancy atthose positions or scraped or. shaved away for the opposite purpose.

The weight onthe diaphragm l2 and the weights in the-chest and in thehips canbesuitably correlated, with care, to provide the neces-- sarybalance for good performance-astoturning of the doll, on a longitudinalrollingaxis, lying between the center ofgravity andthe" center ofbuoyancy, from face-up-to face-down position; and as to turning on atransverse axis for headfirst diving'and head-first" rising. However,fine adj ustment of the center of gravity can I be made easier byforming elongated recesses'extendingin.

ward from the extremity of one or more of the arms and legs for thereception of a weight such as'the weight 2|, which can be a piece ofwire solder, and a filler plug 22 of parafi'in or the like for avoidanceof pocketing of air.

For fine adjustment of the center of gravity toward and from the faceside the doll can be formed with a tubular portion 23, as in Fig. 6,extending through the body cavity and opening onto the face side and theback side of the shell, for the reception of an adjusting weight 24 andfiller plugs 25, 26 of paraifin or the like.

The chest weight or weights 1! and the paraffin E9 of Fig. 1 can behidden by a snap-on brassire 21 of rubber or other material and the hipWeight or weights [8 and paraffin can be hidden by a snap-on pair ofswim trunks 28.

In the operation of the display or toy the doll is placed in a glasscontainer such as the container 29 of Fig. 12 or the container 30 ofFig. 13, the container being nearly but not entirely full of water andthe doll being suitably adjusted as to distribution of weight andvolume, so that, at atmospheric pressure, she floats, but very lightly,and in a horizontal position, face up, at the surface of the water, thecenter of gravity then being directly under the center of buoyancy,which is the center of submerged volume at any given instant, asdistinguished from the center of total volume.

By compressing the rubber ball 3| of Fig. 12 or the rubber ball 32 ofFig. 13, the pressure in the container is then increased, with theresult that the diaphragm l2, carrying with it the weight [3, is pushedinward toward their dotted line positions of Fig. 1, the air in thefigure yielding to the external pressure.

In the first part of this movement the center of gravity moves from aposition lower than the center of buoyancy to a position higher than thecenter of buoyancy, with the result that the figure rolls over sidewisefrom the face-up attitude to a face-down attitude.

, When the proportions and adjustments are good this rolling-overmovement can be effected without appreciable turning of the figure onany axis other than the longitudinal rolling axis, and by carefulapplication and release of pressure the figure can be caused to rotatethrough successive complete revolutions in the same direction withoutsubmerging.

, If a dive is to be performed, greater pressure is applied and, becauseof the resulting decrease of air volume in the head of the figure thecenter of buoyancy moves to a position nearer the feet of the doll thanthe position of the center of gravity, which causes the doll to assume aheaddownward position such as to bring those two centers back into, orcloser to, vertical alignment.

Still greater pressure so reduces the total effective volume of thefigure that it sinks, head first, as in the left-hand dotted lineposition of Fig. 13.

At a suitable time, before or after the figure has reached the bottom ofthe container, the

pressure within the container is released, either slowly or quickly, byrelieving the pressure upon the ball 3| or 32.

In the rising movement of the figure, as in the rolling-over and divingmovements, its actions can be varied according to the timing of pressurechanges.

Ifthe pressure is completely relieved quickly when the doll is in ahead-down and submerged position the center of buoyancy immediatelyreturns to its original position, closer to the front wall and closer tothe head than the center of gravity. In the case of such quick releaseof pressure the doll may turn face upward by lateral rolling movementconcurrently with its turning on a transverse axis to a head-uppermostattitude, and then rise to a face-up, horizontal position at the top ofthe water.

With suitable adjustment and suitably slow release of pressure, however,the figure can be caused to rise, head-first, to the surface of thewater before turning face-upward and then, at the surface, roll overonto its back.

Other variations of movement are that when the adjustment is such thatthe center of buoyancy is always closer to the front side of the dollthan the center of gravity is, a backward dive can be effected, and,with an intermediate condition of adjustment, and with either quick orslow application of pressure, the turning movements on the longitudinalaxis and on the transverse axis can be made concurrent, so that the dolldoes what might be called a cork-screw dive or rise.

It is desirable that the actuating diaphragm l2 and its weight l3 bemounted as far toward the face side of the doll as they can be whilestill having sufficient range of movement, before the weight is stoppedby contact with the inner facewall of the figure. With a given weight l3and a given distance of its movement the effect of its movement inshifting the center of gravity is the same whether that movement is froman original position higher or lower than, or at the level of, thecenter of buoyancy, as it is the same matter of inch-pounds in any ofthose cases. However, the reduction of head-volume which is incident tothe face-ward movement of the weight has the effect of moving the centerof buoyancy, as well as the weight, toward the face side of the figureand that volume-reducing factor is greater if it operates at a longdistance from the rolling axis. Thus if the diaphragm l2 and its weightI 3 are mounted too far to therear of the head the volume-reductionfactor may dominate over the weight-shifting factor, with the resultthat the center of buoyancy moves farther faceward than the center ofgravity does, and thus holds the figure more strongly in its face-upattitude.

On the other hand, reduction of volume onthe faceward side of the centerof buoyancy causes a spineward movement of the center of buoyancy, theeffect of which is added to, instead of subtracted from, therolling-over effect of the shifting of the weight, and the spinewardshifting of the center of buoyancy is the greater when a. givenreduction of volume occurs far faceward from the center of buoyancy.

Fig. 2 illustrates a construction which can be employed, in th light ofthe foregoing points, when the shape of the figure or specialperformance considerations make it desirable to mount the actuatingdiaphragm and its weight close to or on the faceward side of the rollingaxis. Here the diaphragm, I2, is formed as a thin and stretchableend-closure portion of a tubular rubber member 33 having a thick enoughwall to be self-sustaining and at its outer end being flared, thinneddown, and provided with an annular bead M adapted to be snapped over theannular flange H of the dolls head to provide the fluid seal.

Fig. 3 illustrates a method of making th diaphragm 12 of Fig. 1 with theweight l3 embedded in it, by the well known latex dipping process.

The dipping form, 3.4, is. shown as'being so formed with an annulargroove 35. as to permit the forming of the bead 14 by a preliminaryapplication of latex to the groove, and with a central depression in'itsend face adapted to permit the preliminary securing of the weight l3therein by an application of latex to the depression and to a buck-shotdropped into the depression while the dipping form is held with thedepression upward. The form is then turned to dipping position and thediaphragm i2 is formed by dipping, and is thus made integral with thebead l4 and the rubber jacket 36 which encloses theweight.

The diaphragm I2 is thus made of cup shape, when the dipping form is ashere shown, and this is desirable because the mounting of the diaphragmon the dolls head puts the outer annular region of the diaphragm undergreater circumferential tension than the central portion, so that lightincrease of pressure provides a large movement of the weight H], for therolling over movement, without such reduction of volume as to cause thedoll to assume a head-down position before further increase of pressurehas more pronouncedly stretched the outer annular portoin as well as thecentral portion of the diaphragm.

As to lateral stability, or instability for the rolling-over movement,the figure involves the canoe or ballast principle, with the rollingmove-- ment dependent upon relative positions of the center of buoyancyand the center of gravity.

As to turning on a transverse axis, on the other hand, for thehead-first attitudes, the figure is controlled primarily by thefiat-boat principle, which is a matter of increase and decrease ofsubmerged volume at the two ends of the figure.

Thus, as the head volume is decreased by the pressure, resultingfootward movement, of the center of buoyancy is partially off-set orlessened by a slightly increased submergence of the face part of thefigure and possibly by a slight. decrease of submergence of the feet, sothat the footward movement of the center of buoyancy can be so small asnot to cause the head to submerge, completely until after therolling-over movement is completed.

If desired, the weight !3 can be caused to. have either a headwardcomponent of movement, to accentuate the head-first effect; or aiootward component, to separate the two turning movements morepronouncedly, by delaying all headdownward turning movement, on atransverse until after the rolling movement, to a facedownward position,on a longitudinal axis, has been completed.

Provision for such headward or footward components in the Weightsmovements is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

The diaphragm there shown is formed with two relatively thick andaccordingly more stretch-resistant radial zones 31, 31, disposed at asubstantial angle to each other. When the diaphragm is mounted on thedolls head with such zones near the top of the head the weights movementhas a forward component, as shown in Fig. 5. A rearward component is ofcourse obtained when the diaphragm is mounted with those thick zonesnear the back of the neck, and side-wise diving can be had by mountingthe diaphragm with its thick radial zones extending toward a side of thehead.

Excellent results have been obtained by forming the actuating diaphragmsof rubber cutfrom toy balloons, rubber cement being employed for holdingthe bead [4 in rolled form or for secure ingit to the stretchable partand for securing a wrapper on the buck-shot I3 and securing the wrapperto. the stretchable part.

Excellent results have been obtained also by building the doll ofparafiin upon a blown-glass hollow skeleton and also by forming the dollin two plaster of Paris mold-halves by successive applications of liquidsolder and then soldering together the resulting half-shells.

Fig. '7- shows one of the early embodiments, in which a small metalbellows 38, commercially known as a Sylphon and extensively used inheatcontrol systems, for example, is secured at one end to a cork 39which is anchored in the cranium of the doll by a pouring 40 ofparaffin, with or without other anchoring means. The other end of theSylphon is connected by a pull-stem II with the short arm 42 of abell-crank lever which is fulcrumed on a wire 43 having its endsanchored in the shoulder walls of the doll. The bellcrank levers longarm, 44, extends to about the center of the body cavity and there hassecured on its outer end, by a cotter pin 45, a weight 46. It isdesirable that the long arm of the bell-crank lever be of bendablematerial, such as a strip cut from a tin can, for chestward andspineward adjustment ofthe center of gravity.

The shell of, the figure permissibly is formed of vulcanized soft rubberand with apertures 41', 4-1 at the, chief salients for ingress and,egress of water, which occupies all of the body cavity except theinterior of the Sylphon, 38. The Sylphon is closed, preparatory to beingmounted in the figure, while containing atmospheric air, preferably atora little. beiow normal room temperature.

To provide suficient buoyancy, in view of the fact that water occupiesthe greater part of the volume and that some of the partsare of metal,the legs can be filled with paraflin 48 and cork 49. The figure can begiven proper distribution of weight and volume by local addition orsubtraction of the high gravity and low gravity substances.

In operation, an increase of pressure shortens the Sylphon and thusmoves the weight 46 chest.- ward, causing the dollto roll overtoa-face-down position, after which further reduction of the Sylphonsvolume by further pressure causes the figure to dive head-first.Subsequent release of the pressure causes the figure to rise head firstand, in timed relation determined by the adjustments and by thequickness or slowness of release, to assume a face-up, horizontalposition at the top of the water.

Fig. 8 shows another early embodiment, in which a rubber doll has anotch 50 cut in her chest and closed by a piece of toy-balloon rubber 5|cemented in place, preferably under such tension as to bay inwardsubstantially, as shown.

The necessary distribution of weight in relation tovolume is provided bywire-solder weights such as the weight 52 mounted in elongated re.-cesses molded in the arms and legs and preferably closed at their endsby paraifin 53 to prevent pocketing of air.

In operation increase of pressure causes the weighted arms to risetoward their dotted line positions, whereupon the doll rolls over, andfurther increase of pressure causes her to. dive, headfirst'. Thereverse movements occurupon release of the pressure. Here the decreaseof chest vol:-

ume, being near the face side of the figure, assists in the lateralrolling movement, and it causes the doll to move head first in thediving and rising movements because it is at a position substantiallynearer the head of the figure than are the centers of buoyancy and ofgravity.

Fig. 9 represents a toy whale in which ballast weights 54,54, embeddedin parafiin 55, 55, are provided for keeping the figure in back-upwardposition as it sinks and rises.

The body of the whale can be formed of rubber or other material, butwith suflicient stiffness to sustain considerable external pressurewithout substantial reduction of volume. The body is imperforate exceptthat the back and belly walls are formed with holes for the reception ofa length of preferably rubber tubing 56 formed in its middle region withapertures 51, 51 and having, surrounding it and cemented to its endportions, a section 58 cut from a cylindrical or other toy balloon.Mounted in the tube 56, respectively below and above the apertures 51,are two checkvalves 59, 59 adapted to permit upward flow but preventdownward flow of water. Mounted in the upper end of the tube 56, andpreferably flush with it and with the back surface of the whale, is aplug 60 formed with a central squirt aperture 6|. The balloon-rubbertubular diaphragm can be longer than the tube 56, as indicated by thedotted lines in Fig. 9, so that a more dependable sea1 and anchorage canbe had between it and the body wall of the figure, when the latter is ofsuitable material such as rubber, by stretching out its end portions tothe form of annular flanges 62, 52, and cementing them to the outersurface of the figure.

In operation this figure, upon being placed in apparatus such as that ofFig 12 or Fig. 13 and subjected to increase of external pressure,becomes heavy and sinks by reason of water being forced into thestretchable tubular diaphragm 58, through the lower valve 59 and theholes 57, the surrounding air in the figure being reduced in volume bythe expanding of the diaphragm.

Upon release of pressure the whale rises to the surface and spouts,water continuing to be expelled through the upper valve 59 and thesquirt hole 6| after the figure has reached the surface of the water.

Whether or not a live whale blows more than once before againsubmerging, the present whale can be caused to squirt water skywardrepeatedly before being again submerged by relatively heavy and/ or longsustained pressure.

The upper one of the check valves 59 can be omitted without greatdetriment, because of the small flow capacity of the squirt hole 6| ascompared with that of the lower check valve 59. The check valves 59, 59of Fig. 9 can be made easily and inexpensively by the latex dippingmethod, with the use of a dipping form such as is shown in Fig. 11, inwhich 63 is a cylindrical piece of wood formed with oblique flats 64, 64at one end and having stuck into a slot between the flats a very thinpiece 65 of sheet aluminum, paper, or other suitably thin sheetmaterial, adapted to deposit upon itself a relatively thin film ofrubber. The valve outlet is provided by cutting off the end of the thinportion of the rubber deposit.

The toy fish of Fig. corresponds to the whale of Fig. 9 except that thetubular-diaphragm assembly is disposed lengthwise of the figure, so thatthe squirt provides successive forward movements of the figure, on therocket or jet-propulsion principle, in response to successive releasesof pressure. slight forwardly directed force-differential in theapplication of the pressure also, because water can flow freely into thefigure at the front end, which slightly relieves the external pressureor head resistance there, whereas no such effect occurs at the rear end,because both of the valves permit only rearward flow of the water.

Obviously kinetic and impact effects in the various movements of theseveral figures can be varied by employing different external contours.

In Fig. 12 the ball 3| seals itself against the mouth of the jug 29 whenthe ball is compressed by applying a downward force, as with a clenchedfist, along the vertical center-line of the ball. The pressurepreferably is applied only in a central zone of moderate area, so thatthe upper portion of the balls wall is simply turned inside out, intothe rest of the ball, Without development of annular zones of tensionsuch as occur when the ball is flattened by pressure of a fiat surface.

In the apparatus of Fig. 13 changes of pressure can be eifected bysimply raising and lowering the rubber ball, with the ball and thetubing full of water, and if the system is closed while the pressure inthe container is atmospheric, a partial vacuum is produced in thecontainer when the ball is held at a low elevation, by reason of thehead of water.

Automatic apparatus for actuating the figures is shown in Figs. 14 and15, in which 66 is a base,

preferably of ply-wood, having removably mounted thereon a table 61which supports an inverted glass bottle or flask 68 almost but notentirely filled with Water, on which and in which the cartesian figure69, performs.

The flask preferably is secured by its neck in a hollow metal cylinder10 of sheet metal, by a pouring of plaster of Paris H, the plaster beingpoured and allowed to set while the flask is positioned with its neckupward. When the Water and the diving figure are placed in the flask,before it is inverted, a quantity of pearl chips 12 can be placed in itto represent a multicolored ocean bottom when the flask is turned toWorking position, a screen 13 being mounted upon the inner end of thefiasks rubber stopper 14, to prevent escape of the pearl chips whilepermitting ingress and egress of water.

The rubber stopper 14 is apertured and is in communication, through aflexible hose 15, a coupling 15 and another flexible hose 15*, with ahollow rubber ball 16 which is mounted in a cupshaped depression formedin the upper face of an adjustable-height table member 11 and is adaptedto have its upper portion turned inside-out into the lower portion by ahemispherical plunger head 18, to increase the pressure in the flask.

The adjustable-height table member 11 is supported by preferably threeexternally threaded leg members [9, 19 secured to and projectingdownward from the member l1 and having threaded upon them respectiveelongated nuts 80, 89 rotatably seated in positioning depressions 8|, 8|formed in the upper face of the base 65.

At the middle of its top the ball 76 has mounted in its wall acheck-valve stem 82 which extends upward through a central aperture inthe plunger head 18 and holds the latter in position against the underface of a strong, wide, U-beam rocking lever 83, a clamping nut 84 beingprovided on the check-valve stem 82.

The rocking lever 83 is hinged on a rod 85 which connects a pair ofsleeves 85, 86 adapted The figure also is subjected to a to be secured,by set-screws 86 8 5 at selected positions of adjustment, upon verticalrod portions of a pair of bent-rod brackets 81, 81 mounted upon themachine base 66. Positioning collars 8, 88 are mounted upon the rod forkeeping the rocking lever 83 in position thereon.

Riveted to the swinging outer end of the lever 83 are a pair ofdownwardly extending brackets 89, 89 the lower end portions of which areconnected by a cross-brace 9D and by an axle rod 9! which has aprojecting end portion serving as an axle for a cam-roller 92. v

The cam-roller 92 coacts with a cam disc 93 which is driven by anelectric motor 94 through a. speed reducer 95.

When the cam is driven a predetermined series of pressure changes occurin the flask and the Cartesian figure performs a sequence of actspendent upon the contour of the cam disc 93.

For example, assuming that the Cartesian figure is the diving girl ofFig. 1, '7 or 8, the low, short cam hill A effects a moderate increaseof pressure for a short time and causes the figure to roll over fromface-up to face-down position while remaining in a substantiallyhorizontal position, without submerging, and the following release ofpressure causes her to roll back to face-up position; the higher andlonger cam hill B then causes a roll-over, a shallow head-first dive andhead-first rise; and the high and longer cam hill C then causes aroll-over and a fast, deep, head-first dive and a head-first rise.

The ball 16 is virtually mounted in a nutcracker of which one arm is thebase 56 and the other arms is the U-b-eam or lever 83. Because the camroller is off-set laterally and downwardly from the middle line of thelever 83 the latter is required to be resistant to torsional deformationand needs to have wide bearing at its hinged end. The downward off-setof the cam roller permits the use of a large cam without excessiveover-all height of the machine.

Other sequences or reperto-ires can be provided by the use ofdifferently contoured cams and, by careful adjustment, completerevolutions of the figure, Without submergence, or with only shallowsubmergence, can be had.

From the foregoing suitable cam contours for the whale of Fig. 9 and thefish or submarine of Fig. 10 will be obvious.

The hose [5 preferably is of such length as to permit the flask to beturned neck up, on the table 61, without unmounting of the ball iii.

When the system is closed by insertion of the cork with the flask inthat position and the flash a;

is then inverted, a partial vacuum can be created in the flask,dependent upon the relative amounts of water and of air in the hose andthe call at the time the system is thus closed, and the stretchabilityof the ball under theinterna-l pressure of the head of water. It seemsbest, however, to operate the apparatus with atmospheric pressure as theminimum pressure, 50 that pressure conditions in the flask closelyapproximate the pressure conditions in the testing jug 29 of Fig. 12. Tothat end it is desirable to have the ball 16 and all other parts of thesystem up to the stopper 14 entirely full of water when the system isclosed.

Adjustment of the range of indentation the ball it can be had by changinthe position of the fulcrum rod 85, or by the use of different cams. Airand water can be vented from the ball 16 through the check-valve of theupwardly extending stem 82, a standard tire-vaive stem,

with the usual valve insides, being suitable for this use. The normalpressure in the flask can be increased by forcing water or air into thesystem through the stem 82.

Another, more handy, expedient for varying the normal pressure in theflask 68 is a hollow rubber ball as mounted in a clamping device 91provided with a hemi-spherical plunger head $38, the ball 96 beingconnected by a hose Q?) with the coupling 15* and permissibly beingprovided with a venting and filling check-valve stem Hill.

As the hoses 9B and 15' enter the respective balls from below theyconstitute U-tubes, and consequently rupture of either of the ballsresults in only a small escape of water from the system, the flow beingpromptly stopped by the development of a partial vacuum in the flask.

Numerous modifications are possible within change of pressure of fluidexternally contacting the figure for determinately shifting the weightwith relation to the center of buoyancy of the figure.

2. An aquatic figure embodying the Cartesian diver principle andcomprising a body, a weight member, and means constituting a part of thefigure and actuated by change of pressure for shifting the weight withrelation to the center of buoyancy of the figure, said means comprisinga lever which carries the weight member.

3. An aquatic figure embodying the Cartesian diver principle andcomprising a body, a diaphragm, and a non-flowing weight member adaptedto be given movement in relation to the body by movement of thediaphragm in response to change of volume incident to change of pressureof fiuid externally contacting the figure.

4. An aquatic figure embodying the Cartesian diver principle andcomprising a body, a diaphragm, and a Weight member mounted on thediaphragm, the diaphragm being less resistant to deformation in thevicinity of the weight memher than in a part more remote therefrom.

5. An aquatic figure embodying the Cartesian diver principle andcomprising a body, means defining a variable-volume chamber within thebody. the parts being so formed as to provide inlet and outlet passagesthrough which the chamher is in communication With the exterior of thebody, and a check-valve mounted in the inlet passage.

6. An aquatic figure embodying the Cartesian diver principle andcomprising a body, means defining a variable-volume chamber within thebody, the parts being so formed as to provide inlet and outlet passagesthrough which the chamber is in communication with the exterior of thebody, and check-valves mounted respectively in the inlet and outletpassages.

i. A Cartesian diver and actuator assembly comprising a Cartesian diveradapted to perform in response to changes of pressure an act other thanand not merely incident to the act of sinking or rising, and an actuatortherefor comprisa container, a liquid therein, and means for eifecting atimed sequence of unlike pressurechanges, in the same direction, in thecontainer.

8. An actuator for a Cartesian diver, said actuator comprising acontainer, a body of liquid therein, and means for effecting a timedsequence of unlike pressure changes, in the same direction, in thecontainer.

9. An actuator for a Cartesian diver, said actuator comprising acontainer, a body of liquid therein, a hollow rubber ball having closedcommunication with the interior of the container,

and means for effecting a timed sequence of variations of the volume ofthe ball.

10. An actuator for a Cartesian diver, said actuator comprising acontainer, a body of liquid therein, a conduit communicating with t einterior of the container, means for effecting timed flow of fiuid inthe conduit, and means additional thereto for adjusting the pressure inthe container without opening the system to the atmosphere.

11. An actuator for a Cartesian diver, said actuator comprising acontainer, a body of liquid therein, a conduit communicating with theinterior of the container, and means for effecting fiow of fiuid in theconduit, said means comprising an arm like that of a nut-cracker, avariablevolume hollow member therein, and means for actuating thenut-cracker.

12. An aquatic figure embodying the Cartesian diver principle andcomprising a body, a diaphragm actuated by change of pressure of liquidexternally contacting the body and contacting the diaphragm, a fixedamount of a gaseous substance cushioning the diaphragm, and means forcausing movement of the diaphragm to effect upward movement of anon-gaseous substance in relation to the body.

13. An aquatic figure mbodying the Cartesian diver principle andcomprising'an elongated hollow body, and a diaphragm structure whichwith said body defines a closed air chamber in the body, said bodycomprising weighting means so distributed that at a low Cartesianpressure the body lies in a substantially horizontal position at thesurface of the liquid, and the diaphragm structure being positionedtoward one end of the body from its center of gravity at low externalpressure that upon the increase of external pressure th figure sinks inthe liquid with that end foremost, and the distribution of weight andvolume being such that at low Cartesian pressure the center of volume istoward that end from the center of gravity, so that the figure rises inthe liquid with that end foremost, and assumes the substantiallyhorizontal position only when the center of buoyancy has been shiftedfrom the center of total volume by emergence'of a part of the figureabove the surface of the liquid. I

14. A figure as defined in claim 13 in which the diaphragm structure isof such displacement characteristics and so positioned that upon theapplication of Cartesian pressure the figure is caused to roll laterallyby shifting of the center of gravity upward past the center of buoyancy.

WILLARD D. EAKIN.

